Page 1861 - Politics
EVM hacking row: Syed Shuja has ISI link, says Union Minister Giriraj Singh
Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday alleged that 'cybersecurity researcher' Syed Shuja has links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Shuja, yesterday claimed that he was a part of the team at Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), which designed and developed the EVMs and claimed that the 2014 general elections in India were rigged. "The whole episode must be enquired and to find out whether Shuja have links with ISI. The Whole drama is organised by Congress," said Giriraj Singh."Hacker Shuja addresses a press conference in England via video conferencing from America. In the press conference big leaders of Congress were also present," said Singh.Taking on the Gandhi family (Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi) he said that the Gandhi family will destroy the country. "The Gandhi family will destroy the democracy and will destroy the culture of the country," said Giriraj Singh.On the other hand the Foreign Press Association (FPA) has dissociated ...
Extradition of Choksi not impossible, but could take time: Ex-Diplomats
New Delhi, Jan 22 (ANI): Giving up Indian passport will not lessen the chances of extradition of fugitive economic offender Mehul Choksi, although it can lengthen the process, according to former diplomats.The move by Choksi would not also blur the hopes of bringing back other fugitives like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi to face judicial proceedings, the former diplomats said on Tuesday.Absconding diamantaire Choksi, who has been living in Antigua for over a year, has surrendered his Indian citizenship in an attempt to avoid getting extradited to the country."It may become a lengthy process because some countries do not extradite their own nationals," former Foreign Secretary Shashank told ANI."However, in this particular case, the person (Choksi) is not originally an Antigua national. He has become a national there, hiding the information about his antecedents. There are charges against him for fraud and economic offences. This is a criminal activity in India, and if there is dual ...
LS poll to determine not only future of India but also of West Bengal, says BJP chief Amit Shah
BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the coming General Elections would not only determine the future of India but also of West Bengal."2019 Lok Sabha polls will not only determine the future of India but also of West Bengal. The results will tell whether the TMC government which is killing democracy remains in the state or is uprooted," said Shah, while addressing a public rally here.Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led state government, Shah said the TMC government in the state was allowing corruption and infiltration. Shah also said that music was not anymore a charm of West Bengal."Bomb and weapon making industries are prevalent in West Bengal. Despite Rabindra Nath Tagore's music, bomb blasts fill the air of the state. The BJP shall bring the glory back to Bengal. The General Elections are an opportunity to establish democracy in Bengal," he said.Shah said the people of Bengal who gave a chance to Mamata Banerjee to serve them are not happy ...
India aims to complete its part of Kartarpur Corridor work before Pakistan: Rajnath
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that India is trying to complete its part of Kartarpur Corridor work before Pakistan. Speaking to ANI, Rajnath said: "India will complete its part of Kartarpur Corridor work in a few days. I held a meeting with ministers to discuss the further plan of the project. I also reviewed the progress of ongoing work of Kartarpur Corridor. The government is trying its best to finish the project before Pakistan.""We are getting full support from the Punjab government and I have asked the authorities to handle it well in a time-bound manner," he added. The Indian government on the eve of Guru Purab on November 22 last year approved the construction of Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the India-Pakistan international border. Pakistan government had also announced to open the corridor next year.The Kartarpur route along India-Pakistan border is three kilometres away from Gurdaspur in Punjab. Once functional, the ...
LS poll an opportunity to establish democracy in West Bengal, says Shah; BJP heading towards one big zero, retorts TMC
BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday said the coming Lok Sabha polls would be an opportunity to "establish democracy" in West Bengal, while the state's ruling TMC retorted saying that BJP was "heading towards one big zero." "Bomb and weapon making industries are prevalent in West Bengal. Despite Rabindra Nath Tagore's music, bomb blasts fill the air of the state. The BJP shall bring the glory back to West Bengal. The General Elections are going to be an opportunity to establish democracy in the state," said Shah while addressing a public meeting at Malda.Reacting to Shah's speech, the TMC took to its official Twitter handle to hit back at the BJP chief: "They (BJP) don't understand the ethos of India. They don't understand the ethos of Bengal. They are heading towards one big zero. Some are saying they are desperate. Some are saying they have gone mad. Or is it a combination of both?""After listening to the BJP president Amit Shah's speech in Malda, it is obvious that they ...
EVM Hackathon: Akhilesh, Mayawati urge EC for alternative
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday urged Election Commission of India to look for an alternative to EVM saying that electronic voting machines (EVMs) are a threat to a vibrant democracy.Akhilesh's statement came a day after an Indian 'cyber expert' on Monday claimed that EVMs were hacked in 2014 Lok Sabha elections which saw the BJP win by a landslide margin. The ECI, however, clarified that the EVMs cannot be tampered with, asserting that the machines are manufactured following "rigorous standard operating procedures".Akhilesh told media, "If someone has raised a question then it must be looked into why a developed country like Japan is not using EVMs. It is not a question of a political party, it is a question of having trust in democracy. EC and the government should take a decision".SP's ally Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati too spoke on the same lines and urged the ECI to bring back ballot paper system."Keeping democracy's ...
Maha BJP to hold executive meeting in Jalna on Jan 28
The executive meeting of the Maharashtra unit of the BJP will be held in Jalna on January 28. Maharashtra unit president of the BJP, Raosaheb Danve, will inaugurate the day-long conclave, while Chief MInister Devendra Fadnavis will address the valedictory session, party spokesperson Madhav Bhandari told reporters here. He said the deliberations will focus on the party's strategy for the Lok Sabha polls. Around 1,000 delegates from across the state will take part in the meeting, he added. According to Bhandari, a meeting of the BJP scheduled to be held in Sangli on Wednesday and addressed by party chief Amit Shah has been cancelled.
J-K: 6 terrorists killed in two encounters
Six terrorists were killed in two separate encounters in Shopian and Budgam districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday."Three terrorists each have been killed in the two encounters. Arms and ammunition recovered from their possession. Both encounters took place in open area hideouts. Security forces managed these operations very well," Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, SP Pani told ANI.According to former Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid, the neutralized terrorists in the Shopian encounter included an IPS officer's brother Shamsul Haq, who had joined militant ranks some months ago.However, the police refused to confirm this, with sources saying that the antecedents of the slain terrorists are being verified.After the encounter, clashes erupted between stone-pelters and the security forces during which four photo journalists, covering the developments, sustained pellet injuries.
On Thackeray's birth anniversary, warring allies BJP-Sena try to patch-up
On the eve of the 93rd birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday attempted to mollify its warring ally with a Rs 100-crore gift for the proposed Thackeray memorial.
Gadkari inaugurates bridge over Ravi river in J&K
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday inaugurated a bridge over the Ravi river in Jammu & Kashmir which will reduce the distance between Kathua in Jammu and Pathankot in Punjab to 8.6 km from 45 km, the government said. The bridge over the Ravi river at Keerian - Gandial will benefit over 2.2 lakh people living on the two sides. It has been constructed at a cost of Rs 158.84 crore to improve inter-state connectivity, the Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. While dedicating the bridge to the Nation, Gadkari said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had set a new mark in timely delivery of public goods by completing various projects on or before time. The road transport and highways minister said that the government was focussed on providing corruption-free and transparent governance to the people without compromising quality. Giving details about the ongoing highways projects in Jammu & Kashmir, Gadkari said that the NH network in the state has seen ..
Extensive transfer, posting of CBI officers to 'cleanse' system: Officials
The extensive transfer and posting of officials by interim CBI chief M Nageswar Rao is aimed to "cleanse" the system, "restore checks and balances" in the agency and boost manpower in units investigating crucial cases, officials said Tuesday. These transfers and postings will continue in coming days at various levels in the agency, they said. In a major reshuffle, Rao transferred around 20 officers Monday, including some officers handling crucial cases like the 2G scam. "The exercise was aimed to cleanse and purge the system. The purpose was also to fill the vacancies in branches which are handling crucial cases and to restore checks and balances and strengthen vigilance mechanism in the agency," an official in the know of developments said. Rao after taking over as the interim chief of the agency for the second time on January 11 had undone the decisions taken by former CBI Director Alok Verma, who was reinstated by the Surpeme Court on January 8. The first cycle of transfers was ...
Shivpal trashes SP-BSP alliance, says it's 'thagbandhan', not 'gathbandhan'
Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Yadav Tuesday termed the poll alliance between the SP and BSP a thagbandhan', or a coalition of cheaters, and alleged that their chiefs are in the habit of betraying others. "This is not a 'gathbandhan' (alliance) between the SP and the BSP but a 'thagbandhan', he said about the seat-sharing pact recently announced by the two parties for the Lok Sabha polls. While one ditched his father and uncle, the other did the same with her brother," Yadav told reporters at his party office here. He was referring to Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, who allegedly sidelined him and his brother Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, who had once tied a 'rakhi' on BJP leader Lalji Tandon. Shivpal Yadav had formed the new party after complaining of being sidelined by nephew Akhilesh Yadav, when he took charge of the SP from party founder and father Mulayam Singh Yadav. Shivpal Yadav said after the Lok Sabha polls his ..
58 tribal guests, 22 tableaux to mark 90 minute Republic Day parade
Fifty-eight tribal guests from various parts of the country, 22 tableaux of states and central government departments, and performance by school children will mark the 90-minute parade of this year's Republic Day. The event on Saturday, where South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will be the chief guest, will begin with the laying of wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Twenty-two tableaux from various states and central government departments on developmental, cultural and historical themes will be part of this year's Republic Day parade. Some of the tableaux on cultural themes will have integrated folk dances, a Home Ministry office memorandum said. As many as 26 national award winning children, seated in open jeeps, will also form part of the cultural pageant. Three groups of children from Delhi schools and one group of children from Eastern zone Cultural Centre will be part of the parade. Each group will give a performance of about two ...
Cong objects to PM's use of state machinery for 'furthering political agenda'
The Congress Monday raised strong objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's use of state machinery and resources for allegedly furthering his political agenda to "abuse" the opposition. Senior party spokesperson Anand Sharma dubbed Modi BJP's "principal propagandist" and accused him of misleading people through his "hollow and false" promises. He claimed Modi had brought the level of discourse in the country to "gutter level". Raising objections to the prime minister spending public money at programmes where he attacks the opposition, the Congress leader called upon the Election Commission to take note of it. "There are questions to be asked of this prime minister. We have strong objection to what he has said in the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas today. He has been misleading the people of India, but it was a shocking list of boastful claims typical of Shri Narendra Modi Ji," he told reporters. Sharma claimed that around Rs 6,000 crore were spent on his propaganda that included huge ...
Selection of CBI director should be based on merit and seniority, process transparent: Cong
Ahead of the January 24 meeting of the high-powered committee on selection of CBI director, the Congress said Monday the process should be transparent and appointment based on merit and seniority. Senior spokesperson of the Congress Anand Sharma said any officer against whom there are question marks or any kind of charges should not be considered for empanelment as that would be "a gross miscarriage of justice". He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "desperate" to select and appoint a "pliant" CBI Director to "buy future protection for all kinds of acts of omission and commission of his government". The former union minister said it is imperative that all matters that were considered by the Supreme Court when the new process of the appointment of CBI Director was introduced, are followed. Prime Minister Modi heads the three-member panel. The other two members are Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and the Leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun ...
Bill to scrap educational criteria for contesting Panchayat polls introduced in Raj Assembly
A bill to scrap minimum education qualification for contesting panchayat elections in Rajasthan was introduced in the state assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Tuesday after the new Congress government decided to rescind the measure introduced by the previous BJP dispensation. Rajasthan cabinet had recently approved the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The previous Vasundhara Raje government had introduced education criterion in 2015 which required a candidate to pass Class X for contesting zila parishad or panchayat samiti elections. For contesting elections for Sarpanch of a panchayat in scheduled and other than scheduled areas, it was mandatory to pass Class V and VIII respectively. The amendment bill has been introduced in the House considering that the provisions of educational qualification create unreasonable restriction on the right of people to contest election at the grassroots level, according to the state government.
J&K women marrying non-natives don't lose residency rights: Expert
Women hailing from Jammu and Kashmir who choose to marry men from outside the state do not lose their residency and inheritance rights under Article 35-A of the Constitution, a top legal expert said on Tuesday. "This issue was settled by a full bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court in the case titled State and others vs Dr Susheela Sawhney and others in October 2002 by striking down the proviso of the state subject (permanent residency) law according to which women marrying outsiders would lose their permanent resident status," former advocate general of Jammu and Kashmir government Ishaq Qadri told PTI. The bench, in the landmark judgement on 7 October 2002, held by a majority view that the daughter of a permanent resident of Jammu and Kashmir will not lose her status as a permanent resident upon her marriage to a person from outside the state. Qadri's remarks come after the Supreme Court said earlier on Tuesday it would take an "in-chamber" decision on listing of a petition ...
My party will construct Ram temple if voted to power: Togadia
Accusing the BJP of cheating Hindus by not fulfilling the promise of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya, former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia Tuesday said if his party is voted to power at the Centre, it would start its construction within a week. He added that his party would also impose a limit of two children per family to control India's population. Togadia, president of the newly-formed outfit - International Hindu Parishad- said he would formally announce the launch of his political party in New Delhi on February 9. "Despite being in power from the gram panchayat level to the Centre, the BJP has not built temple at the birthplace of Lord Rama in Ayodhya in the last five years. The party has failed to fulfil its promise," he told reporters at Indore Press Club. "Even the Congress is not going to build the Ram temple there. But my party would bring an ordinance within a week of coming to power and start construction of the temple. Unlike them, we ...
Transfer of 20 CBI officials aimed at 'cleansing the system and fill vacancies'
The transfer of 20 CBI officials was aimed at "cleansing the system" and fill the vacancies in the branches of the agency investigating important cases, said a top agency source.
PDA to project Mayawati as next prime minister: Khaira
The Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA), a conglomerate of splinter groups of the Akali Dal and the AAP, would project BSP supremo Mayawati as the next prime minister of the country. The decision to project Mayawati as the next PM was accepted in principle in a meeting of the PDA here on Tuesday, said Sukhpal Singh Khaira of the Punjabi Ekta Party. The PDA comprises the Akali Dal (Taksali), Punjabi Ekta Party, Lok Insaaf Party, United Akali Dal and Patiala's suspended AAP MP Dharamvira Gandhi. Rachpal Singh Raju, president of state unit of the BSP was also present in the meeting. After the meeting, Khaira and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura of the Akali Dal (Taksali) told media persons that the PDA would contest all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. However, they said there was no discussion on the seat sharing during the meeting as main issue before them was to defeat the Congress and the Akali Dal-BJP alliance. "Both the Akali Dal and the Congress have betrayed the interests of the state and ...